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"Moreover, you scorned our people, and compared the Albanese to sheep, and according to your custom think of us with insults. Nor have you shown yourself to have any knowledge of my race. Our elders were Epirotes, where this Pirro came from, whose force could scarcely support the Romans. This Pirro, who Taranto and many other places of Italy held back with armies. I do not have to speak for the Epiroti. They are very much stronger men than your Tarantini, a species of wet men who are born only to fish. If you want to say that Albania is part of Macedonia I would concede that a lot more of our ancestors were nobles who went as far as India under Alexander the Great and defeated all those peoples with incredible difficulty. From those men come these who you called sheep. But the nature of things is not changed. Why do your men run away in the faces of sheep?"

Letter from Skanderbeg to the Prince of Taranto ▬ Skanderbeg, October 31 1460

RKL: Dear Nikollë Marku, welcome to the interview in Radio ‘Kosova e Lirë’, a radio of KLA freedom fighters which embodies the national values as well as those of inter-religious tolerance. Dear Nikollë what are the main religious activities of ‘Saint Maria’ Church in Elbasan which is lead by you?

Marku: Thank you for the invitation. It’s been my greatest pleasure to come in Kosova. I must state that Orthodox Church ‘Saint Maria’ in Elbasan is the main promoter of democratic movement of Albanian orthodoxy. We are pursuing the path of Fan Noli and other martyrs of Albanian Orthodox Church. We are committed to work in line with the Albanian tradition of Orthodox faith, and above all of Albanism. Regardless of our religious affiliation, we are primarily Albanian. Having this in mind, we are committed to work further.

RKL: Why mr. Janullatos keeps Albanian Orthodox Church under his thumb which is at odds with the statute of our autocephalous Church? This statute unequivocally states that the leader of Albanian Church must be of Albanian origin.

Marku: Albanians had always suffered about Orthodoxy because 100 years ago, our patriots were determinant to envisage a free and independent Albania with its own Orthodox Church. Unfortunately, our politicians appointed a Greek Archbishop at the helm of Albanian Orthodox Church. Its Archbishop should not have been a Greek for the simple reason that Greece still harbors territorial claims towards Southern Albania or Northern Epirus. As long as we don’t mobilize to fulfill the will of our first bishops, Fan Noli and Visarion Xhuvani, our Church will be held by a Greek Archbishop who intends to subjugate our Church under the authority of Greek Church. The statute clearly states that Church’s archbishop and Synod must be Albanian according to the character of population. But we have a Greek archbishop who is endeavoring to build monasteries with a Greek style.

RKL: The last event perceived by many Albanians as provocative was the Consecration of the new “Resurrection of Christ Cathedral’’ in Tirana. In this ceremony were present even the archbishops of Serbia, Russia and Greece, whose anti-Albanian stances are obvious. What is your comment about all this?

Marku: I must confess that the consecration of Cathedral is a good and saintly deed considering that Patriarch Bartholomew consecrated the Albanian Orthodox Church. However, the problem lies on the very fact that there are certain bishops who have caused harm with their assertions against Albanian Church, State and People. I will not refer anymore to Janullatos as the Archbishop because the Orthodox community does not recognize him as such and he has openly violated the principles of Albanian Orthodox Church. He invited many bishops, among others even the Archbishop of Serbia, Irinej. This Serbian bishop used orthodox churches as military strongholds against the Albanian populationand he stated that NATO was killing innocent Serbs and that Kosova is the heart of Serbia! The same bishop goes on to say that we all must live in a Balkans ruled by Serbs. His statements were distasteful to most Albanians, especially in Kosova. The Albanian politicians, academics and historians must have protested against the presence of Serbian Archbishop in Tirana. His visit was an utter disgrace, let us hope that Almighty God will wake us up to stand up for our rights!

RKL: Do you believe that the founder of Albanian Orthodox Church, Fan Noli is deliberately left on oblivion? Even the bishop, Visarion Xhuvani is seldom mentioned. Why is that?

Marku: The presence of Janullatos in Albania is utterly hostile and negative. Janullatos exploited even the international diplomacy to ascend over the Albanian Church as its Archbishop. Greeks were organized from America and Australia to put Janullatos at the helm of Albanian Orthodox Church and he’s actually leading our Church. He swept away all books translated by Fan Noli and other documents and used Greek books instead. What’s more, Janullatos invited the Serbian Archbishop to provoke the sentiments of Albanians. He behaves in a conceited and disrespectful manner and endeavors to belittle Albanian Orthodox Church and relegate it by submitting under Greek Church.

RKL: Do you think that Albanian Orthodox Church should consecrate Papa Kristo Negovani, who was a martyr of Albanian Orthodox Church. Serbs claim even the nationalist priests as their own saints. On the contrary, Papa Kristo Negovani was entirely engaged in peaceful activities and spread of Albanian writing.

Marku: You made a good remark. The Church as a religious institution can not be consecrated without the consecration of its apostles and their deeds. The first Albanian apostles were Papa Kristo Negovani, Petro Nini Luarasi and many others who endeavored to envisage an Independent Albanian Church. Thus it would be more correct to consecrate these martyrs and then to consecrate the Church. Janullatos permeated Greek Orthodoxy within Albanian Orthodoxy. I believe we are in a crossroad but the day when we will give the proper answer is approaching. We the Albanian orthodox community are united; I’m in cooperation with almost all of the Albanian Orthodox priests. I had many statements on TV that we will get rid of Janullatos and this would be a historical day.

RKL: The properties of Albanian Orthodox Church are seized by Janullatos’s followers. Why is that?

Marku: Once they controlled the Church, they began to steal all valuable documents sending them in Greece. The most valuable part, namely the earlier tradition, was taken by Janullatos. When we tried to turn it back, we could not find the slightest trace of it. Nonetheless, what matters the most is the very fact that Albanians have a strong national bound, regardless of their religious affiliation. We will do our best to get these valuable documents back.

RKL: There are some hints that since Janullatos became the Archbishop of Albanian Orthodox Church, he is attempting to whitewash the architecture of native Albanian monasteries giving them a Greek style they never had?

Marku: The devilish Janullatos with his devious means attempts to wipe every vestige of early Albanian orthodoxy. He even claims that every Albanian Orthodox is Greek. But the last census displayed that there are less than 8 % Orthodox followers, in spite of sterling efforts made by him to inflate this number. Our monasteries are markedly different from those of Greece because they are built of stone and wood according to the ancient custom. He replaced the books of Fan Noli, used the Greek language with the sole intention to obliterate the Albanian native orthodoxy. But we will give him the right answer.

RKL: Do you have any cooperation with Catholic Church in Albania and Muslim community?

Marku: I maintain excellent contacts with both communities; we have mutual contacts and share our opinions about certain matters. We live in Albania and it does not matter religious differences. Our main resentment is about Janullatos, who is spreading the cult of the individual in Albania when he states ‘I will lead you to Jesus’’, ‘Follow my path’; ‘I will rescue you from harm’ etc. But he is entirely wrong because his mind has gone insane and Greeks should ship him off in Greece and leave alone Albanians because they are perfectly capable of handling their own problems, including their Orthodox Church.

RKL: Do you think that Albanians of Kosova, although prevalently Muslims, could support the Albanian Orthodox Church to reassert its independence because it is glaringly obvious that most of their ancestors were Orthodoxes. We may mention in passing that Albanians kept most of Orthodox monasteries in safety by guarding them from outside onslaughts and even the fresco paintings inside those monasteries are full of archaic Albanian elements.

Marku: Today I’ve come in Kosova and I feel myself a Kosovar Albanian. At the same time I feel myself even Muslim, Catholic and Orthodox. It’s of utmost importance to not make any religious difference but to loudly state ‘We are Albanians’’. This would be a major blow to our enemies. I am in Kosova and feel myself a devoted Muslim to obtain and fulfill those objectives much yearned by Albanians. Both Muslims, Catholics and Bektashi should unite in order to prevent the attempts of our enemies to pester us. United with one another we will pursue the path of both Mohammed and Jesus.

RKL: You have been always consistent to voice the rightful demand for an Autocephalous Albanian Church. Most of Albanian politicians avoid from tackling such a matter, did you receive any support from any political party?

Marku: Truth be told, I’ve sought help from our authorities to strengthen the Church and its administration. I’ve received some help but Albanian politicians seem to have little understanding on how the Albanian Church should be. I must stress that Orthodox community gave the most ardent Albanian patriots. Our politicians are still ill-informed which is why they embark some untenable theories which fly in the face of the tradition and history of Albanian Orthodox Church. I urge them to rummage through State’s Archive to get a better understanding of Orthodox Church.

RKL: The native Orthodox heritage in Kosova has long been seized by Serbian Orthodox Church. Albanians are deprived from their own cultural heritage because monasteries are unjustly entitled as ‘Serbian’ and have received even ‘extra-territorial’ status on behalf of protection. Some years ago, USA and Swiss envoys in UNESCO requested that those monasteries should be entitled as ‘the heritage of Kosova’s people’ and not an exclusively Serbian heritage as it has been claimed so far. Is there any chance to get back those monasteries which historically belong to the Albanians?

Marku: Slavic migration towards Balkans took place around 760’s A.D. Though minor migrations occurred even earlier, in 760’s A.D there was the last migratory stream to ultimately settle in Balkans. Once they engulfed on Balkans, they begun to infiltrate in ancient Dardania (modern Kosova). From this time onwards, Slavs gradually seized Christian monasteries in Dardania by altering and Slavizing them. Serbs take much pride on them and even embarks on claims they are authchounous! Serbs desecrated and obliterated most of early Christian Albanian temples by switching their native style. I do believe that we are about to get them back but only peacefully. The religious institutions cease from being religious at the moment one attempts to seize them through military means. We must work together and ask from international institutions to give our monasteries back.

RKL: In the recent years, the assimilated Albanian Orthodox community in the region of Macedonia, has expressed its will to turn back to their Albanian identity and points the need of an Independent Albanian Orthodoxy. A prominent activist voicing such demand is Branko Manjolovski. Do you have any cooperation with him? Is there any chance to help certain Albanian Orthodox communities in Krushevë, Ohër and Manastir?

Marku: It’s a great pleasure to announce that Orthodox Albanians asked from me to hold a mass on Albanian language in the region of Dibër. We have devised a plan for a mass with the permission of Macedonian Archbishop, Stephan. We are attempting to hold a mass on Albanian and it would be a historical moment because this is the first Albanian mass held on Macedonia. Mr. Branko Manjolovski is a tireless activist and committed Orthodox and many times has been threatened by Macedonian authorities. I’ll be the first priest to hold a mass on Albanian language, thus paving the way to reinstate the Independence of Orthodox Albanian Church.

RKL: Vlachs have always been victims of Greek propaganda, not only in Greece itself, but even in Albania and Macedonia. A British scholar, Tom Wininfrith holds that the so-called ‘Greek minority’ in Albania has inflated its number by counting even Vlachs as Greeks. Some years ago, there was a statement made by Dhimitër Veriga, an Orthodox priest from Korçë who stressed that Vlachs are not Greek. Is there any disposition of Vlachs to deliver support on our attempt to reassert the Independence of Albanian Orthodox Church?

Marku: I believe yes. Veriga is a down-to-earth persona, an Albanian who works with the Vlach community. Vlachs are a distinct people who are scattered all over Balkans. A number of Vlachs are in Albania and they have their own Church. They have a distinct identity which by no means is Greek. Greece has manipulated and unleashed them against Albania. But Vlachs are awakening and distancing themselves from Greek Orthodoxy. Their contribution on reassertion of the Independence of Albanian Church is evident.

RKL: Dear Nikollë Marku, what is your message to all Albanians in this tough time where neighboring countries are proliferating their anti-Albanian activities?

Marku: Thank you for posing such a question! I think we need to cooperate with one another, no matter if we are Muslims or Christians, for the betterment of our religions. Let us work further and throw away all negative things. We are waiting for the historical moment, with the will of God, when Albania and Kosova will be united into a single state. This would be the most important event of world because Albania-Illyria gave birth to many outstanding strategists. My message is love, respect and work!